1/4 hardware cloth brooder floor?

[ChicknCommander]

I built a set of three chick brooder pens! I used 1/4 for the floor with a pan to remove for cleaning.

 

[ChicknCommander]

Will it do a good job

 

[3riverschick]

Will it do a good job

Hi !
Absolutely! I learned to raise chicks on hardware cloth from Kelly Cratty, a noted Marans breeder. He told me I would never have chicks with crooked toes if I did. He used 1/4 for the 1st 2 weeks and then switched to 1/2 inch. I raised multiple hatches on hardware cloth with no toe issues. Then one season I bought some expensive chicks (15. each) and decided to raise them on newspaper. Maybe the hardware cloth wasn't necessary anyway? All 10 chicks developed severely crippled and twisted toes. Lesson learned. For me, it's heavy paper towels or waffle weave drawer liner to start out, then either wood chips or hardware cloth to finish brooding them till they go in the coops.
Nothing wrong with starting them out on hardware cloth and skipping the paper towel or waffle weave liner. I just happen to be starting mine out in plastic tubs and the toweling and drawer liner are working better for me in that situation.
Best Regards,
Karen and the Light Sussex
in western PA, USA

 

[ChicknCommander]

Thanks